This bill makes various revisions relative to the distribution of funds from the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program, as described below.
EXTENSION OF REPORT SUBMISSION DATE
Present law requires the families first community advisory board to, among other things, submit a final report to the general assembly by December 31, 2025. The final report must be approved by a majority vote of the advisory board's total membership and must include, at a minimum:
(1) Findings from the Tennessee opportunity pilots and the services provided through each pilot;
(2) Recommendations for future TANF program spending in this state; and
(3) Suggested legislation to support the recommendations described in (2).
This bill extends the final report submission deadline from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026.
EXTENSION OF PILOT PROGRAMS
Present law provides that in the fiscal year 2022, the department of human services must dedicate $182 million, subject to appropriations in the general appropriations act, from the department's existing surplus reserve of TANF funds to support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of three-year Tennessee opportunity pilot programs in six communities and one pilot program to be administered by the department with the goal of demonstrating the efficacy of well-implemented two-generation approaches to improving education, health, and economic outcomes for children and the adults in those children's lives. This bill extends the length of the pilot programs from three years to four years.
EXTENSION OF IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS
Present law further provides that by May 1, 2022, the department must award a three-year implementation grant up to $25 million, subject to appropriations in the general appropriations act, to each of six implementation grantees selected from the planning grant recipients that submitted the most compelling and qualified Tennessee opportunity pilot program plans. Present law requires the department to distribute an implementation grant to each selected implementation grantee in an amount of $25 million, subject to appropriations in the general appropriations act, over three years with no single recipient receiving more than $25 million over the course of the pilot.
This bill extends the length of the implementation grant from three years to four years, and also increases the period of time over which the department must distribute an implementation grant from three years to four years.
EXTENSION OF DATE TO OBLIGATE FUNDS
Present law requires the department of human services to, within the 12-month period following the end of each fiscal year, spend or obligate 100 percent of unobligated TANF funds that are not:
(1) Allocated to the department's administrative overhead costs;
(2) Part of the reserve TANF funds;
(3) Dedicated to the Tennessee opportunity pilot program;
(4) Used for the department's cash assistance program; and
(5) Used on a program or service deemed necessary by the department.
This bill alters the above requirement by increasing the period following the end of each fiscal year from 12 to 18 months.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 71-5-1201(a)(1)(C), 71-5-1201, 71-5-1201(i), 71-5-1203(a), 71-5-1203, 71-5-1203(c), 71-5-1204(d)(1), 71-5-1204